To Love And Protect

* * *

CORIE WISHED BEN PALMER would just go home. Life was difficult enough around here, trying to keep Teresa and the kids in their home and herself out of Pimental’s way. She didn’t need the annoyance of her brother’s brother. He reminded her of her childhood and everyone who dismissed her out of hand because she was that Ochoa brat from that awful family. He was clearly convinced that she was as bad as her legend.

“I believe you sent the jewelry back to the Tyrees,” she said, her tone deliberately airy because he looked so grave and she enjoyed refusing to take him seriously. “In a priority-mail box. Your partner, Grady, mailed it from Seattle when he went to visit his girlfriend, so no one would know that you and Jack were involved.”

“I never told you Grady mailed it.”

“Jack did. After making a point of explaining to me that I couldn’t possibly move forward in my life with such a crime behind me.”

He took exception to the subtle criticism of their brother in her reply and the suggestion that Jack was somehow unsympathetic. “Jack remembers the sweet little sister he lost all those years ago. He seems to be convinced that you’re the same person, and now his name could be compromised because Tyree has your burglary on tape. You might have a little more respect for all Jack’s been through to find you, and the fact that he risked himself that night to get you out of there.”

She’d regretted her cavalier response the moment the words were out of her mouth. But Ben made her prickly—like the cactus she claimed to be.

“I could never explain to you,” she said, “how important Jack is to me. I would never deliberately hurt him.”

“Right.” It was clear he didn’t believe her. She couldn’t imagine what she’d have to do to prove it. “So where is the jewelry?”

“You mailed it to Tyree,” she repeated.

“I’m sure you saw the interview with him on the evening news where Mrs. Tyree held up all the junk beads that arrived in the box.” He leaned back again, accusing gaze steady. “How’d you make the switch? And where’s the jewelry now?”

“I did see the news.” She folded her legs up on the love seat. Used to having her honesty called into question, she wasn’t sure why it was so particularly annoying when he did it. But it was. She held back the angry words on the tip of her tongue. “It’s interesting to me,” she said calmly, “that you’re convinced I somehow switched the jewelry for Mardi Gras junk. When would I have done that? I never saw the jewelry again after we got to your parents’ house. You took it from me, remember?”

She couldn’t tell whether or not she’d shaken his conviction of her guilt. His steady gaze gave very little away. He said nothing and waited for her to go on.

“And, you know, it makes me wonder what kind of cop you are,” she continued, unable to hold back her annoyance, “that it hasn’t occurred to you that Tyree did get the jewelry back, but because he’d probably already filed a claim with his insurance company and gotten paid, he decided to pretend that it was junk in that box. By going on television and flashing the dime-store beads, Mrs. Tyree can have her jewelry and he can keep the insurance money.

“He’s got somebody on security footage as having robbed him,” she continued, “so he’s golden with the insurance company. And you were careful to make sure you and Jack and Sarah weren’t implicated by mailing the package without a return address and from some distance from where you live. You can’t come out now and tell the authorities that you sent the jewelry back because then they’d know you helped me in the first place.”

He rolled his eyes. “Come on, Corie. Really? You want me to believe this is simple insurance fraud?”

“Why not?” She sat a little straighter. “Tyree is a smart-mouthed lawyer who defends the shady, and is one of Pimental’s cronies. I can’t suggest to anyone that he’s scamming the insurance company because that would suggest I knew the jewelry had been returned. The obvious conclusion would be that I sent it back. How could I have done that unless I’d stolen it in the first place? And I can’t separate you and Jack and Sarah from that night because you were there and are probably on film. See? Pays to mind your own business.”

“There’s no such thing as that when family’s involved. I know.” He forestalled her protest with a raised hand. “I’m not your family, Jack is. But he’s my family, so...what we now have is a big mess.”

“I’m used to messes,” she said. “Just go home and let me deal with this one.”

“And how are you going to do that with the surveillance tape out there? I’m surprised the Corpus Christi police haven’t arrested you already.”

“I was scared to death of that at first, but I got to thinking about it. It was so dark, there were so many bushes and trees, I don’t think there’s any way they could identify us. My truck is black and was in the bushes. We all stayed in the bushes when we ran to the house. That tape helped Tyree with the insurance company, but I can’t imagine it did the police any good.”

“I’d like to know that for sure.”

“So would I, but I don’t see how you can.”

“Then you underestimate me.” He pushed to his feet.

Corie wasn’t sure whether to be relieved that he was going or nervous about that “underestimate me” remark.

She stood, too. “What are you going to do?”

“Not sure. I have to see the tape. I guess I have to make friends with someone who can help with that, so I’m going to be around for a few days. And I promised Teresa that I’d help decorate the tree tomorrow. Shall I pick you up?”

She felt depressed and then resigned. “Sure.”

She followed him to the door and caught his arm when he would have stepped out. It was warm and muscled. He stopped instantly, looking down at her hand then up into her eyes. His were watchful, waiting.

“Yes?” he asked.

“You should think about this twice. Please.”

“Corie,” he said with a patience that surprised her. “We’ve just been through all this. After I find out what’s on the tape, maybe I’ll have time to prove your theory about Tyree defrauding the insurance company. In case you are spotted on it.”

She arched an eyebrow in surprise. “You believe me?”

“No.” He answered without hesitation. “But it’s a place to start.”

She wondered if he worked at being hateful or if it just came naturally. “Ben, you don’t know what you’re dealing with. You’re naive where Querida and Pimental and his cronies are concerned.”

“What?” He seemed as amused as he was offended. “Naive? I’m a cop. A cop who remains naive after nine years on the force isn’t doing his job.”

“You know what I mean. This little Texas town is filled with secrets. If anything happens to you, I’m sure I’d have to answer to Jack, just as you claim you’d have to if anything happened to me.”

She realized she was holding his arm and dropped her hand, suddenly self-conscious. Her fingertips still felt the soft light hair, warm sinew and the thrum of a steady pulse. Her own pulse, a little erratic, seemed to accelerate and steal her breath.

She stared at the shoulder muscle moving under his shirt as he put a hand on her arm.

“Then doesn’t that suggest,” he asked, “that we should work on this together to prevent Jack from getting angry at either of us? That is, if you are innocent and not afraid of exposure.”

“If we tried to do anything together,” she noted, “one of us wouldn’t survive. I’m thinking, you.”

“Well...see, now, rather than discourage me that simply challenges me. You think I’m not capable of being tougher than you are?”

“Oh, I know you’re tough,” she said, adding with complete conviction, “You’re just not as cussed as I am.”

He laughed softly. “Well, that may be true.”

* * *

THAT WAS HEAVY STUFF, he thought. She seemed completely convinced she had an iron interior. Of course, she couldn’t see into her own eyes. But he imagined that when she met her gaze in a mirror while putting on makeup or brushing her teeth, she did it fiercely, needing to convince herself of her invincibility.

When he looked into her eyes, he saw the cactus she claimed to be.

He took out his cell phone. “Give me your number and I’ll give you mine. You can call me anytime if you need to.” They recorded each other’s information then she held open the door for him.

“What time shall I pick you up in the morning? Does the Grill serve breakfast?”

“Yes, Abelia cooks. That’s Hector’s wife. They open at seven.”